The Russian Embassy in Argentina contacted the organizer of the Antarctic cruise after the vessel’s engine failed, forcing the planned route to be interrupted. This incident drew attention from the Russian state media, which reported on what happened and how authorities began to respond.
Officials said the embassy is aware of the incident and has reached out to the cruise operator as well as the Russian citizens aboard. The engagement aims to understand the situation on board, coordinate next steps, and ensure that all parties stay informed as events unfold.
The diplomatic mission added that they were reviewing the substance of the Russians’ claims, including reports that some passengers had undertaken hunger strikes. To help resolve the dispute, diplomats began establishing contacts in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina’s southernmost province (citation: socialbites.ca), where the ship was expected to arrive on December 1 as part of its revised itinerary.
On 29 November Mash, a Telegram channel, reported that Russians had started a hunger strike aboard the ship halted en route to Antarctica. The voyage had begun with 170 holidaymakers departing Cape Town on November 13 aboard the SH Diana, with plans to reach Antarctica by December 3 and finish in Ushuaia, Argentina. The vessel, however, became stranded on November 22 due to engine failure. Of the 15 planned landings, only three had been completed by that point (citation: Mash Telegram channel).
Earlier reports described more than 500 Russians being aboard a cruise ship that was stranded in Yokohama, Japan, in a separate incident, underscoring recurring concerns about long-haul maritime excursions and passenger welfare across international routes.